Suspected bird flu at park after swan deaths

Visitors to Stanley Park are being asked to keep dogs away from the edge of the lake and not to touch any injured or dead birds or hand feed birds

A beauty spot in a seaside town has a suspected outbreak of avian influenza, also known as bird flu.

Blackpool Council said several swans had died at the town's Stanley Park over the last few days.

The deaths have been reported to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) as the birds had been displaying symptoms of avian influenza.

The authority said the risk to the general public was very low, but it was "vitally" important visitors kept dogs away from the edge of the lake, and did not touch any injured or dead birds or hand feed birds.

It comes after a bird flu prevention zone enforcing strict hygiene standards around domesticated birds was declared for the whole of England last month amid a rise in cases.

Defra has been contacted for comment by the BBC.